Please fill in the required registration information in the form below to successfully participate in this free program.
For questions or more information, email programs@rihs.org.

Saturday, June 8, 2019, starting at 11am -- SOLD OUT
Sunday, June 9, 2019, starting at 11am

Starting point: Plaza at Westminster St. and Empire St. (444 Westminster Street, Providence)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
With many contemporary cities offering multi-day conferences, festivals, and events, a new buzzword floating around in city planning and development is "festivalization," or how a locale can support a short-term transformation on a large scale. Sometimes it works well (think SXSW) and sometimes it fails (like Fyre Festival). But what about Providence?

For the past five years, PVDFest has transformed the downtown area from regular urban use to creative backdrop for parades, concerts, art installations, and more, drawing over 50,000 people in to experience this transition. In this walking tour,  we'll look at how Providence changes from the normal to the extraordinary in contemporary times, but also how and when it happened in the past. We'll also examine how historic buildings are used as artworks and experienced as backgrounds throughout the festival. Finally, the tour will consider the logistics of planning a weekend-long event that brings in thousands of people over multiple days.  

Space is limited per tour, so registration is recommended. Any questions, comments or concerns, please email Jennifer Wilson at jwilson@rihs.org.